kigg-an



(No Model.) M 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. RIGGAN.

PLOW. 7

No. 268,285. Patented Nov. 28, 1882.

lT/VESSES (No Mqdel.) V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. H. 'RIGGAN.

PLOW.

o. 268,285. Patent-ed Now-28,1882

UNITED STATES JONATHAN H.

RIGGAN, OF RALEIGH, NORTH GAROLIN A, ASSIGNOR TO KEARNEY 8: COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,285, dated November 28, 1882,

Application filed August 21, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN H. RIGGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Raleigh, in the county of Wake and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plows, of which the following is a specification.

Prior to my invention the weeder-s'tock ot'a plow has been adjustably secured upon the base of the plow-frame by means of a bolt fixed to the base and passing through a slot in the weeder-stock, a nut bein g fitted upon the bolt for securing the weeder-stock in its adjustment. In such instance the blades have been adjustably secured upon the weeder-stock, so that they can be independently raised or lowcred. In other instances the base or shoe of the plow-frame has been curved at its junction with the standard and the brace and provided with teeth or corrugations, and the weeder-stock, provided with corresponding teeth or corrugations, adjustably secured upon said base or shoe, whereby by shifting the Weederstock two motions will be given to the sweeps or blades. The teeth thus provided in a plow of such construction are objectionable, since the adjustment of the weeder-stock must necessarily be made at determined points, and no adjustment intermediate of the teeth can be made. i

It is the object of my invention to remedy such defect, and to so form the bearing-surfaces of the weeder-stock and the base or shoe that the former can be adjusted with a greater degree of accuracy and nicetythan heretofore,

.and at any desired point.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for an easy and efficient adjustment of the handles, so as to vary the angle at which theyare set.

The first of these objects I attain by providing the base with a plane-faced concavity and forming the weeder-stock with aplane-faced convex bearing-surface, which fits in the concave seatin the base, whereby by shifting the weeder-stock it will be moved on the arc of a circle, and hence can be raised as desired, so as to elevate the blades without necessitating any independent adjustment thereof.

The second of said objects I attain by providing a slotted handle iron or irons, formed and attached to the brace, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the plow-Frame with the parts in position. Fig. 2 is a broken side view, showing the weederstock in section. section on the linear 00 of Fig. 2. Fig. at is a section on the line 2 z of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detached view of one of the handle-supporting irons.

The plow-frame illustrated comprises the standard A and brace B, connected at the top by a cap, 0, and united attheir lower ends to the horizontal base D. The plow-beam (not here shown) is secured to the cap 0 in the usual and well-known manner, and such being the case I do not deem it necessary to illustrate a plow-beam. The upper side or face, (I, of the horizontal base is formed with a planefaced concavity between the standard and the brace. Thisconcaved portion constitutesaplane seat or bearin g for the weederstock E, which has a plane-faced convex bearing-surface upon its under side, corresponding to the concave seat or bearing d in the horizontal base D. The weeder-stock is formed with a central longitudinal slot, e, through which a 'bolt, F, secured in the base, passes.

G indicates the sweeps or blades, which are simply bolted on the wings c of the weederstock, and require no adjustment thereon. It will be seen from this arrangement that in shifting the weeder-stock upon its curved seat it will move in the arc of a circle, and hence its blades be adjusted backward or forward and up or down simultaneously with the movement of the stock to which they are secured, and by reason of the plane-faced bearings of the weeder -stock and the base D, the former can be accurately adj usted at any desired position, this nicety of adjustment permitting infinitely small movements on the part of the weeder-stock.

The irons H, to which the handles are attached, are each formed with a longitudinal slot, h, in its lower portion, and above said slot provided with a shoulder, h, against which the lower end of the handle will rest. They are also each provided with one or more boltholes for the bolts employed in securing the handles to them. In securing these handle- Fig. 3 is a longitudinal irons to the sides of the brace, a bolt, I, is passed through their slots and through the brace, and two of the corners of its head fitted in a pair of notches, 2', formed along the sides of the slot in one iron, and a nut, K, fitted upon the bolt and tightened up against the other iron. It will be seen that the rear edge of the brace is cnrved,and that each iron has a shoulder, L, formed upon its inner faceand adapted to fit against the curved edge of'the brace. Hence if the bolt be loosened and the irons raised their upper ends, and consequently the plow-handles, will be thrown forward, if the shoulders of the irons are maintained in contactewith the curved brace. Whenathe irons are lowered the handles will be thrown back, if the same relationship between the shoulders on the inner sides of the irons and the rear edge of the brace is maintained. In this way the angle of the handles can be regulated, and as the handles are fixed to the rear end of a plow-beam in the usual manner it will be obvious that when the handles are raised and thrown forward the front end of the plow-beam will be lowered, while if the handles are thrown backward and downward the plow-beam will be raised, thereby enabling the depth of penetration of the plow to be adjusted in a manner so obvious from the description that I do not deem it essential to further illustrate the same.

In some instances a single iron H can be employed and one or both handles secured to the same, and I do not therefore limit myself to the employment of two handle-supporting irons.

The remaining parts of the plow will be of ordinary or suitable construction, and need not be described in detail.

What I claim is-- 1. The combination, with the plow-seat, having in its base a plane-faced concaved bearingsurface for the weeder-stock, of the weederstock, having its bearing-surface which rests on the base convexed to correspond with the curvature of the seat in the base, substantially as described. 1

2. The combination, with the plow-frame, of a slotted handle-supporting iron, H, constructed with a laterally-projecting shoulder, L, on its inner face and attached to the brace by means of a bolt and nut, said bolt passing through the brace and the slot in the handlesupporting iron to permit longitudinal adjustment of the latter, substantially-as described.

3. The combination, with the plow-brace havingacurvcd rear edge, of thelongitndinallyslotted handle-irons, each provided on its inner face with a shoulder corresponding to the curved edge of the brace, said irons being bolted to the said brace, and being capable of the adjustment herein described.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand in the presence-of two subscribing witnesses.

J. H. RIG GAN.

Witnesses:

' J. P. FERRALL,

ALLEN R. FLEMING. 

